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Creator

Aaron, Fannie

Date

1919-01-13 [1920]

Text

﻿January 13, I9l9. i Dear Mother, Father, and Lester; I shall be very busy tomorrow, so I shall write this before going to bed, incidentally waiting for my room to cool off enough to sleep! As you notice, it is the P that I have not had time to have fixed yet. I shall send my laundry off tomorrow. Will Jfou please have the two books returned to the library. Mother? They are due very soon, I think. Also, the gray woolen stockings are too short in the leg and the brown ones are much too long in... Show more﻿January 13, I9l9. i Dear Mother, Father, and Lester; I shall be very busy tomorrow, so I shall write this before going to bed, incidentally waiting for my room to cool off enough to sleep! As you notice, it is the P that I have not had time to have fixed yet. I shall send my laundry off tomorrow. Will Jfou please have the two books returned to the library. Mother? They are due very soon, I think. Also, the gray woolen stockings are too short in the leg and the brown ones are much too long in the foot, tion't chase all over trying to get some> I have three paprs a§ it is, and the buildings are so warm that luness things change the only way to use them is with low shoes anyhow. The package came from Welsh's tonight, wonderfully boxed and insured. They can collect their insurance on the Nox—it is conspicuous by its absence. The bottle is in little j)ieces. The Maltine is all right, though. Meanwhile I have the per-scrittion that you sent me, and I can leave it in town Saturday morning. I told Beatrice Bagg how it came, inasmuch as she had walked to the drug store in Arlington with me on Sunday. She said, Probably the medicine trickled out of the box onto the sidewalk and some ppor dog came along and lapped it upand was p oisoned and died", ^^o you suppose she was trying to be funny? Speaking of Beatrice, she is proctor now for the next three weeks. A little bit too much work, (I appreciate that that is poor construction), went to Helen Reid's and my heads last night-so at ten o'clock we went in and informed her that we had been making quite a little noise, and that it was her duty as proctor to call us down. She was terribly fussed and put out. It does not sound so.funny to say it or tell about It, but we surely had a circus with her. She took me by the arm and told me to go home and go to bed. Miss Sogers came out in the hall, and by the smile on her facr, fully appreciated the humor. Beatrice told me this morning I would be her undoing yet.. Please keep the old unionsuits that have not got my name in them at home—they were packed by mistake. I have plenty wife out them. I saw Carolyn Bailey for a few minutes today roommate now—her Mst name is Lester. She has a I left the bill of the stockings out by mistake, enclose them in this letter. I shall Mother, please have a few of my old red Peter Tom ties died black so that I can use them for gym. I shall be very busy tomorrow aft., so shall not write then Show less

Creator

Aaron, Fannie

Date

11/22/19

Text

﻿November 22, 1919. Dear Mother, Father, and Lester: My typewriting pupil came over for another lesson yesterday afternoon, and staid till the kockey game. That is why I did not have time to write. Miss Cochren, the head of the English speech department, spoke in Hydiene on the relation of hygiene and voice culture. She was exceedingly funny, but in spite of that we have to write up her lecture. The Seniors beat the Freshmen in the final hockey game of the season. After the hockey game... Show more﻿November 22, 1919. Dear Mother, Father, and Lester: My typewriting pupil came over for another lesson yesterday afternoon, and staid till the kockey game. That is why I did not have time to write. Miss Cochren, the head of the English speech department, spoke in Hydiene on the relation of hygiene and voice culture. She was exceedingly funny, but in spite of that we have to write up her lecture. The Seniors beat the Freshmen in the final hockey game of the season. After the hockey game Josephine Marle and I called on Mlle. Champy. She is the other Freshman in the class. The boss insisted on talking English. She said she would have preferred coming as a student, but she took what she got. I guess she cannot be very old. She was quite interesting, also amusing. That is one call off the list. My telescope came with two large cracks in it. It striked me that that is rather early in the game for anything like that to happen. If I have time this afternoon I'll take it into Lucky's and see about it. I don't know if we have to work over Thanksgiving--I hope not, but I rather imagine we will. Last night I heard a lecture by Dr. S. K. Ratcliffe, London University extension lecturer, on "The New Europe and the Coming International Order." Miss Kitchel strongly recommended it to us. She said he was the best lecturer the college had last year. I was too tired to get all out of it I might have, but even so, I enjoyed it very much. Have you Roosevelt's Letter to his Children", either at home or at Princeton. If so, please bring it to New York or let me know if you haven't got it and I'll buy it. I have to have it to read for outside reading in English. Also, Mother, please bring me some stockings to match the light-topped shoes I wore in New York. I'll have to use them Thanksgiving, and I discovered my stockings are all worn out. There is a sign up on the bulletins to lock your valuables over Thanksgiving and take the key with you. Carolyn Fay has been missing stuff. I thought it was very lucky that nothing like that had happened before. Lofe[sic], [Fannie] Show less

Creator

Aaron, Fannie

Date

1921-10-12

Text

﻿October 12, 1921 Dear Mother, Father, and Lester: I am glad you sent the cake. Jeannette, who lost twenty pounds this summer through dieting, has consumed about one half of it. I went over to see Miss Ballantine about the gym deficiency yesterday afternoon. Everything has been settled without difficulty. When I wrote this summer and the dean's office sent the word over to her, she was leaving for her sister's funeral and neglected to look the case up. She apologized profusely. When... Show more﻿October 12, 1921 Dear Mother, Father, and Lester: I am glad you sent the cake. Jeannette, who lost twenty pounds this summer through dieting, has consumed about one half of it. I went over to see Miss Ballantine about the gym deficiency yesterday afternoon. Everything has been settled without difficulty. When I wrote this summer and the dean's office sent the word over to her, she was leaving for her sister's funeral and neglected to look the case up. She apologized profusely. When I start gym in November I shall start in a special class, the idea being that she wants me to go it easy at first. When I got back at five o'clock Jeannette was here, so I couldn't finish my history topic. Helen, she, and I went over to the Lodge for dinner, and after dinner Jane Rothschild, and two other Freshmen and I went to Temple. Jane had asked me to go with her, as Freshmen are not allowed to go to town at night without an upper-classman. I certainly felt funny, acting in the capacity of semi-chaperone for them. The other two attached themselves. We got there during the English sermon. One of the nobel officers of the congregation was standing in the vestibule, and he said that the rabbi was talking in English and we had better wait till he was through, but I said that that was the part we came for. So he opened the door and we went in. The rab stopped till we got seated and the whole congregation, without exception, turned around in their seats to see the new arrivals. I have rarely seen anything quite so funny. His sermon was a scream. He was very dramatic, and bellowed in that little room loud enough for New York Carnegie Hall. In the course of his discourse he spoke of the material prosperity of his community, but lamented their lack of real religious feeling. They judge by false standards. For instance, they have their Russian schul, and their Galician schul, and their Roumanian schul, and their German schul. This is a very fine building. This, they tell me, is the German Schul. At that the whole place absolutely burst out laughing. I guess there are perhaps two Germans in the congregation. Then he went on to Dr. Levy's pet criticism. As soon as the service is over, they will smoke cigarettes in the vestibule. No, they won't. This is Yom Kippur. On Yom Kippur they wait till they get to the corner, but next Friday night they will smoke in the vestibule. Then he went on to say that if the calendar is kind and makes a holiday fall on Sunday night they will get Minyan, otherwise they will have to get it at some place of amusement. But the funniest of all was when he spoke of the bitter need of a Talmud Torah, and said that the community was prosperous enough to provide the funds for it. He said, "I ask you, (and this in a very bargaining Jewish tone), is there one millianaire among you--one man worth, say, $900,000? If there is, raise your hand". And one proud mortal raised his hand. Whereupon the﻿point was proved that they had the money circulating in the community to [have the school]. He went on to say that he never talks with a manuscript and that he could therefore go on for three or four hours, but would keep the rest of what he had to say for today. I am sorry I missed the beginning--it was worth the price of admission. I forgot another funny part of it. He started sneering at reform. He said that now that their congregation is rather prosperous, they think they have to be reform. And what is reform? First, the men and women sit together. That makes it sociable. Then, a cantor doesn't suit, for they have to have English and English without music is bare, so they get an organ. They can't get a Jewish young lady to come up on the pulpit and sing, so they hire a christian you lady. And lo and behold, the Christian sings "Schma Yisroel' it is no longer "Schma Yisroel'." I wonder if you realize, Father, what a terrible cause you are supporting! It certainly was a rare sermon from beginning to end. After the sermon came endless prayers and cafe-clatsch and getting up and visiting back and forth. I had taken my prayer-book down, and we all read the service in it, to the great curiosity and amusement of our gossiping neighbors. What a terrible impression a service like that would make on an outsider. It surely is religion without spirit. Just what do you make out of a service where a man stands up in the congregation and waves to the noble president on the pulpit that it is time to draw the curtain of the Ark? The rab looked for all the world like a chef in his white cap and coat. Jane and I decided that we were going to the most orthodox congregation today, if that is the reform one, but then we suddenly both thought that on Yom Kippur they take off their shoes, so we decided not to. Perhaps we are wrong about it, but I think not. Henrietta Butler went home last Sunday. She has withdrawn from college. I think she is one grand fool. to do that her Senior year. I just saw in the Miscellany today that inter-class debate is the twelfth of November. That is very early compared with last year. If I make the team, Pete, there will be no leaving college that week-end. More tomorrow. Love, Fannie Show less

Creator

Aaron, Fannie

Date

9/29/19

Text

﻿Sept. 29, 1919 Dear Mother, Father, and Lester: Your Lengthy Letter and your lengthy letter, Pete, came today, but your lenghty letter did not come, Father. Was it sent? Now to the questions. The cushions and the curtains are fine. I have not had time to hang the bags yet, but they look as it they will be all right. The plates, fruit-bowl, and lemon-queezer came are are quite satisfactory. The book-case is fine--I have not had time to fix the bottoms section yet. I like it a bit that she had... Show more﻿Sept. 29, 1919 Dear Mother, Father, and Lester: Your Lengthy Letter and your lengthy letter, Pete, came today, but your lenghty letter did not come, Father. Was it sent? Now to the questions. The cushions and the curtains are fine. I have not had time to hang the bags yet, but they look as it they will be all right. The plates, fruit-bowl, and lemon-queezer came are are quite satisfactory. The book-case is fine--I have not had time to fix the bottoms section yet. I like it a bit that she had taken the chain to her room instead of turning it in, but she is sure she is perfectly honest and that it was not nothing but her adnormal stupidity that made her do it. I certainly do ask for a second portions, in fact I served last night, so I got away with plenty. The candy came. We are enjoying it, and I believe I thanked you for it already. As to my going to New York for Saturday. I thought you decided you did not want me to go, Mother. It will be easier for me to do that after I am used to the work, but at present preparing for Monday morning, four classes straight, is no cinch. I worked in the Library two hours Saturday night, yesterday afternoon from two to six, and last night from seven to nine, so you see that I am not exactly playing. Of course later on it will not take me so long, I will be used to working and I will also know better what is expected of us. Meanwhile I am not grinding, but I don't think it pays to let things slip at the very beginning. So I think that this year I will stay here. There is to be an English sermon and some English in the prayer service at the Temple in Poughkeepsie either Friday night of Saturday morning. Lucy, Helen, and I will go. I won't be working Friday night or Saturday, so New York would be out of the question, Aunt Hattie wrote me, Pete, that you were the happiest kid around because Uncle Ike had joined the Far Rockaway Temple. So you can camp out there now if you like. Of course I would be overjoyed to have you come up on Sunday, the earlier train the better. The only trouble is this, will this Sunday visit interfere with any week-end visit that you might have planned for the immediate future. You see, if that is the case, I would rather have you give up one day not than two days in a few weeks. But if it doesn't, then come right along. Excuse me, I am mistaken--it is the first Sunday of the month, and therefore we have no chapel, so let me know what train you will take and I will mee you at the station. I had four classes straight this morning, and I am less tired than I was last week after three, but there is still room for improvement. It surely is hard to work, though. I﻿stopped in the middle of this letter for a fifteen minute interview with my English teacher. She made an appointment with everyone, and the purpose of the whole performance, as far as I can make out, is to discuss the several themes we have written. I came away feeling quite hopeless, horribly stupid and discouraged, and as far as brains are concerned, little better than neighbor Johnny. Honestly, I must be hopeless. She had me feeling so discouraged that I could not tell her where in my high school English training had not developed the things she seemed to think vital. I believe another one comes off next week, and I surely will tell her then, so that she does not think that I am in as good working trim as I ever am. I see one course ahead that is not going to a snap. As I got up to leave she told me that she heard my mother was S. H. of the class of '99. She said she knew your name, but did not know you. She is a grey-headed soul, so I guess she was here before you were. She lives in town with miss Wiley, and she hopes I'll come to see them sometime. Excuse me! I know the darned old interview was for my good, and nobody else's, but excuse me from seeing her for the purpose of paying a pleasant call. Marion Gratz infromed me the other day that she is a wonderful teacher. I think your impression of Morris Baum is quite right, Pete. What he does not know is not worth knowing, in his opinion. I did not know that he intended to go to Princeton. Have you seen our little friend Saul yet? Your talking about your friend Bill Savage reminds me of the fact that I sat next to a girl from Princeton the other day who had a Trig that she bought second-hand from May Vraeland. Her name is Darrah Moore, and her father is a prof when he feels inclined to be one. Do you know who he is? So Roger was out in Estes last year. I wonder what sort of hit he will make at Harvard. How is Helen? Who was the nigger that waited on them? I bet it was Mack. Of course it worries me terribly. Nick must be a prett sight with a broken nose--it was such a handsom thing before it was broken. Perhaps Louise Pill won't get a chance to see him play. I gues Grandpa Hamburger took a "Hebrew fit" when the thought of your being the numentionable thing was mentioned to him! Mother, I think those two small bath-mats must have been left at home--I cannot find them here anyplace. You remember they were not dry when Aunt Hattiw wanted to pack them. Also, when I wore the pink checked organdy to the reception the other day, I could not find the llittle pink bow, so I guess I left that at home too. Could you send them please. It would be in the sliding drawer of the new thing in the little room, the drawer in which I keep sashes, etc. Lucy was in last night, but I had to work, so she left.﻿I left the list of books that I had read in Miss White's room Saturday afternoon. This morning she told me to stay after class. She told me that since I had read quite a few of the books of the Course 7-8, which I am takin, if I wanted I could take a general examination, like a college board exam, and if I passed that, I could take Sophomore French, but the exam would not give me any credit. That is, I would still have to take another year of Foreign language, which is required for graduation. I could finish the reading of the books of this freshman course by next year and take an exam then, which would give me the credit. She did not volunteer any information as to which course would be the more advisable for me to take. When I asked her, she said, "I don't know, that is or you to decide". I don't know what we will be doing next summer, but I know how hard it is to study in summer, and how impossible it is if we are travelling. She is a peach of a teacher, talks a fine French, and altogether will be giving a very instructive course. It occures to me that I will certainly get a lot out of it and since the other courses show no signs of being easy, perhaps it will be well for me to have one thing feel thoroughly at home in. The other girls are quite lost, she speaks so quickly that most of them cannot understand her. Today she said id anyone was having trouble in understanding her to stay after class. Half of the class staid. Perhaps it is better that I chould be good in this class than poor in the other one. So the situation is this: If I want to, take a general exam, which, if passed, will give me no credit, but enable me to take Sopomore French. If I read the books and take an exam on Course 7-8 next year, I will then have credit. What do you think. I believe perhaps I ought to stay where I am, and have one thing less to worry about. The work in any of the classes is not highschool work by a long shot. She said I could write home for an answer, that I can wait till the end of the week for the exam. Please answer immediately, and telegraph if you think I will not have the answer by Friday morning. Saw Miss Cowley this morning. She asked how I was getting along. Love [Fannie] Show less